Creative Energy

A resource center for artists of all shapes and sizes. Please bear with us as we continue to grow and update over time!

[sunnydwrites]

Creating a Distinct World

@kaulayauwrites said:

what is, in your opinion, the best way to world build? how can you avoid writing a bland, archetypal universe or copying an already existing one? sorry if I’m not being clear, haha, and thanks so much!

Hey there, thanks so much for your ask! I honestly love talking about the world-building process, so I’m really glad you sent this; let’s dive right in!

Best Way to World-Build?

In my opinion, there isn’t a best way to world-build. The “best” process depends on what is needed and what you’ll actually need to know for your writing. What follows isn’t necessarily what I would call the best way, but it’s a good way to cover your bases and opens up a lot of options for going in-depth with details. (It’ll be a bit of a long list, but definitely worth it in the long run.)

For each country you’re going to include or mention in your story, think about:

Name

Capital and major cities, and locations

Border shape

3 most common landforms

Historical sites or places that mean a great deal to the people living there

General economic scheme (ex. capitalist, Communist, Socialist, etc)

Most important laws

Major differences from the character’s homeland

Military setup (different branches, enlistment age, etc)

Climate

Relations with surrounding countries

Societal norms (gender roles, public & professional behavior, etc)

Stance on LGBT+ rights, and treatment of LGBT+ people

Most and least respected professions

Common religions

Stereotypes about this country (any and all)

Common pastimes and hobbies

Popularity of sports, movies, and other forms of entertainment

Genres of music (and possibly stereotypes of people who listen to them)

Language(s) spoken

Beauty standards and the commercialization of them

Commercialization that feeds off of the peoples’ insecurities

For each city you’re going to include or mention in your story, think about:

The “aesthetic” (think of it the way NYC’s aesthetic is taxis, skyscrapers, and nightlife)

Public opinion of street performers

Any recreational centers and common activities

Popularity of a town counsel or the idea of opening to the public for improvement ideas

How well-known the city is by everyone around it, or how much of a tourist attraction it might be

State of educational buildings

Percentage of unemployment versus those who are actively searching for jobs, and how this affects the city’s reputation

3+ popular businesses, maybe food or clothing stores

The way business is generally conducted

Opportunities for nightlife (etc. bars, night clubs, etc)

Usual daytime attire, usual nighttime attire

Any sort of tradition (ex. sharing dreams in the morning, praying before meals, etc)

Stance on more advanced technology

Treatment of different age groups

Again, cliches and stereotypes that might exist of people who live there

Most common architectural style (ex. modern, Victorian, etc)

Commonly seen colors

Any inflation that might exist, local economic troubles

People’s opinion on the government as a whole (then in-depth, if you want)

As you can see, these two lists are very open-ended. I can’t go too far in-depth with world-building ideas and explaining, because it’s all up to you to create this world. Every single item on this list here can be expanded into tons of different things, but if your goal is just to cover your bases and explore needed details then I think this would be a good place to start.

Making Your World Distinct

This can be pretty tough, honestly. There’s (almost) always a world themed around something out there that’s probably more well-known, famous even. Let’s start with everyone’s favorite wizarding world, that of the Harry Potter books. Your world can be as interesting and different as it gets but because it includes wizards, someone out there is always going to relate it to Harry Potter. So how can we avoid this?

There’s one proven way to this this, especially if you don’t want to change your world. Accentuate any and all differences that would set your story apart from a more well-known world. Maybe our wizards’ spells depend on a material transaction, or they won’t work. Maybe there’s some sort of wizarding god who must be pleased to cast a successful spell. Not so much like HP anymore, huh?

Just remember, there’s a huge difference between world-building through details and world-building through exposition. Both are acceptable, but both have their own appropriate time to be utilized. Take a break from telling the reader flat-out how this thing works, and instead reveal it through the world’s details. Not only does this help treat your readers like the competent individuals they are, it also immerses them so much in the world that there isn’t much of a chance to compare your world to others.

Tl;dr—World-building isn’t really something that can be explained for you by someone else. There are certainly questions that exist to help you, but following a guide that works for someone else might not work for you. Explore the details! (And let the reader explore them, too!)

[twinicegiantorbiters]

it’s easy to forget, so I’ll remind y’all: you can make fantasy versions of anything. yes even things you might not think about. like soil types. I am thinking of fantasy soil types right now

[headspace-hotel]

Fantasy cloud shapes

Fantasy types of storms

fantasy kinds of stars

fantasy periodic table

fantasy kinds of fungi

fantasy fruits

fantasy months of the year

fantasy dairy products

fantasy kingdoms of life

fantasy food groups

fantasy biomes

fantasy moons

fantasy candies

fantasy condiments

fantasy performance arts

fantasy kinds of musical instrument

fantasy geological eras

fantasy cryptozoology

fantasy architecture

fantasy rude gestures

fantasy sports

fantasy organisms that live on the abyssal plain

fantasy stages of grief (the 6th one is werewolf)

fantasy crimes

fantasy conspiracy theories

fantasy subcultures

fantasy body modifications

fantasy music genres

fantasy political viewpoints

fantasy technological revolutions

fantasy drugs

fantasy symptoms of mental illness

fantasy laws of thermodynamics

fantasy verb tenses

fantasy branches of mathematics

[creativerogues]

1d20 Dark Secrets Your D&D Character Would Prefer To Keep Private...

I have a Child I didn’t raise.

I disposed of a Dagger that may have been evidence in a Murder.

I once sold out a friend for 100 Gold Pieces.

I have a mysterious illness I keep hidden from sight.

I’m addicted to Potions of all magical varieties.

I put my trust and faith in a Deity that is overtly evil.

I am writing a biography of my life, but embellishing it to make myself sound more heroic.

I’m technically not alive.

I lost several minor appendages due a gambling addition fuelled by a local moneylending gang.

I’ve been exiled twice under different names.

I’m nothing but a construct made from the flesh of a (in)famous local noble.

I was forced to watch my family’s execution.

I’m the reincarnation of a legendary warrior, I swear!

I am the only surviving member of my previous adventuring party.

I have an irrational fear of cats.

I carry the skull of my best friend.

I hate the monarchy.

I fear that the Party will try to kill me if I leave or speak out of turn.

I was once imprisoned for my religious beliefs, but escaped under the cover of darkness.

I was raised as a hostage of my family’s enemies after my parents refused to pay the ransom.

[creativerogues]

50 Life Events That Shaped Lives...

You marched with an army and took part in a battle that ended with few survivors on your side. An arrow would have pierced your heart if it had not been for your amulet. Now you serve the god who spared your life.

You grew up under the cover of the forest. You climbed the trees, and felt the wind whisper among the leaves.

Ever since you were a child, you’ve been drawn to the fruits of the forests, to flowers, herbs, and lakes. You learned everything you could from herbalists and alchemists; the scent of every flower, and which plants nurtured life – or ended it.

You heard many stories of valiant warriors. You knew tyranny was till in the world today, and so took up your spear and set out on your grand quest to restore justice to the land.

You grew up without a real family or home. Instead, you sought out other youths who had run away or been cast out. You were called ghost children, and lived by stealing and performing odd jobs.

The figure in your dreams was horrifying. The things it demanded of you unspeakable. You thought you were losing your mind, until you dreamt the gnarled tree, and the treasure buried beneath. When the next request was the life of a local merchant, you knew at what price you could be bought.

You learned early on that you were talented with weapons. Soon, you were taken on by a warrior who taught you the mysteries of battle. You trained hard and long, and in time you became your master’s equal.

As a child, you learned to navigate in the darkness, deep below the earth. It was in the presence of the rock and the cold that you felt most at home.

As a child you learned that you were bigger and stronger than others. You had to work harder, be more responsible, and fight the hardest. Some idolized you, others despised you.

Terror stalked the fields and footpaths, striking at night and leaving only bloody entrails as evidence. You alone were brave enough to follow the monster to the cave where it laired. No weapons had harmed it before, but you were undeterred, for you knew to kill it with fire.

You have never met your mother or father, never had a family. Since you were little you’ve had to care for yourself. It has hardened you and made you strong, but a feeling of rootlessness gnaws within you.

You were apprenticed to a druid, and learned everything you could of the holy mysteries, of rituals and sorcery. Your master is long dead, but you still remember their words.

You have always been on the run from something. Never felt safe, and never had a lasting home. You have travelled from village to village, but have never been able to sleep with your back to the door.

As a child you learned to live in tune with nature. The hunt is your task, and even if you learned to kill, you also learned to honour the value of the life of every animal.

As a child you befriended a wise woman in the nearby forests. Soon you became her apprentice, and learned all about the history of your people, of ancient feats of heroism, and bloody wars.

You worked on a farm performing menial, laborious chores. You know everything about grains, cattle, and crops. But deep inside, you longed for something else.

You have never felt at home among your people, always keeping to yourself. You grew up in the shadow of your comrades. You saw things they didn’t see, did things they never imagined.

You were starving and flea-ridden when the priest took you in. In recompense you learned the ways of your god, how to shelter the needy, and give charity. There were some who wanted the downtrodden to remain lowly, and for those you had only the charity of your blade.

You were taught as a child that livestock are the source of life. As an apprentice, you wandered the plains, guarding your herd. You spent your nights under starry skies, dreaming of adventure.

You served a proud warrior. Carried their weapons and gear, took care of their horse, and learned everything you could. You dreamed of making a name for yourself, and of one day being your own master.

You were always perceptive, always curious. It soon came to the attention of your local militia, and you were handpicked to learn the duties of a scout. Many long days where spent hiding, watching the many dangers of the wilderness.

As a child, you sat by the fire, eyes like saucers, and listened to the legends of your people being told by your elders. In your mind, you travelled through time and space, and relived the fantastic stories. You made sure that you learned all you could from your elders, and it didn’t take long before you became one of the storytellers yourself!

Something happened that forced you to run for your life. Maybe you rubbed the wrong person the wrong way, maybe you were accused of something you hadn’t done.

You performed a pilgrimage that lead you across many dangerous climates. You reached your destination after many hardships, but you will never forget your perilous journey.

You took it upon yourself to protect a forest against the evil and violence of strangers. You lived in the cover of proud trees, one with the beings of the forest.

A learned figure took you under their wing and set you to studying the elder’s writings. The days were long, the learning hard, but in the end, you found that knowledge was the key to a better understanding.

A wise druid took you under their wing and taught you for a long period. It was an intense time, but also educational. Maybe your master is still alive somewhere…

You have always felt more kinship with animals than humans, and it is only on the back of your horse, with the wind whipping your face, that you feel truly free. Together you are one entity, riding as one across the everlasting expanses.

You sought the beauty of nature, away from the violent conflicts of civilisation. When you finally returned to the land, you did so with a newfound knowledge and strength.

You were always skilled with your fingers, and learned to master a craft early on. You expressed yourself through the objects you created. But they also made you long to see the works of the real masters.

You performed a magical experiment that failed catastrophically. Maybe someone was seriously injured, maybe you were banished from your home.

You found a strange artefact during your travels from town to town. You became obsessed with its history and the thought that it might hold magical powers.

You spent almost all of your childhood in the kitchen. Among the scents of soups, stews, and brews. You learned the secrets of spices and the joy of a well-cooked meal.

You were enlisted in a company of soldiers. You spent a long time in the field where you assisted with your magical or martial expertise. You saw comrades killed, but you managed to make it out with just an ugly scar or two.

You sought out a secluded location to immerse yourself in the study of magic. You lived off nature and your books and scrolls were your only companions.

You took employment with a local lord and served as his arcane advisor. Maybe the lord had a hidden agenda, maybe you got into a conflict with higher ranking advisors. You learned much about people in positions of power.

You grew up on the road, in the forest, and on the plains. You have never been able to settle in one place. Your restless legs won’t let you.

You worked as an entertainer, using your knowledge of magic to perform illusions and tricks. Maybe you worked at a run down inn, maybe you were employed at a lord’s court.

You learned as a child that the ownership of objects is nothing but a fleeting thought. You have always had a talent for acquiring things that aren’t yours. It’s like they just… appear.

You planned and successfully performed a heist. Maybe it was against a rich peddler, maybe against a local lord.

Guilty or not, you were caught and thrown in jail. You had to spend a long time in the darkness but never gave up. Finally, the chance to escape emerged, and you took it.

You disappeared into the woods and joined a band of robbers that lived off peddlers and caravans who stumbled into their path. Life in the forest was carefree and good for as long as it lasted, but in the end, the robbers were ousted from the woods.

You earned a living as a competitive rider, and travelled from village to village, castle to castle and competed against other riders. As long as you were winning you had a good life, but when you started losing, it was time to move on.

Your talent drew the attention of a local lord and he offered you a place as an entertainer at his court. Your time in the castle was filled with wine, delicious food, and clinking silver. But also insidious intrigue, assassinations, and jealousy.

A ballad or story that you wrote became immensely popular in the surrounding area. To this day, you hear local minstrels performing your piece.

The hunt was everything. You tracked the beast over land, water, and mountain. At times, the roles were reversed, maybe at times you were the prey?

A nobleman noticed your skills and hired you as his forester and hunter. You lived a good life, half of the time in comfort in the lord’s castle, the rest of the time hunting in the woods.

You realized early on that you had a natural talent for archery, and set out to become even better. When you visited a large village or castle, you participated in a competition and won.

You learned your talents as a guide to those who paid the best. You led caravans of peddlers, troops of soldiers, and curious adventurers. You learned the art of traversing the wilderness and living off of it.

You commanded a squad of soldiers. Your comrades looked up to you and would die for you. But something happened, maybe you were betrayed, maybe defeated in an ambush. Your comrades fell or fled, but you survived.